Forming mechanism



(No Model.) v 3 'SheetsSheet 3. S. ARNOLD.

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING, STRAIGHTENING, AND EVENING FABRICS FOR PRESENTATION TO STITCH FORMING MECHANISMS.

No. 313,909. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

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NITEp STATES SATTERLEE ARNOLD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ANNA M. ARNOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING, STRAIGHTENING, AND EVENING FABRICS FOR PRESENTATION T0 ST|TCH FORMING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,909,dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed June 27, 1884. .(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SATTERLEE ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus for Guiding, Straightening, and Evening Fabrics, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Heretofore much difficulty has been experienced in uniting some kinds 'of fabrics by machine-sewing, in accurately presenting the edges thereofto the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine so that the needle would at each descent reliably penetrate the fabrics close to their edges. This difficulty has usually arisen in the manufacture of garments in which it was desirable to sew close to the edge of the fabrics so that the ridge or welt incidental to the seam should be as small as possible, to present a neat appearance and cause the wearer no discomfort; and the greatest trouble of this kind has occurred with hosiery or knit goods, which are soft and very flexible and liable to curl at their edges.

To avoid the difficulties incidental to the manufacture of knit goods different plans have been tried. The better classes of these goods have been mostly sewed on what are known as turning-off machines, in which the loops at the edges of the fabrics are first placed on pins or points from which they are taken up by the sewing-needle. This plan, although resulting in good work, is necessarily slow and expensive, and the task of placing the fabrics on the points of the machine is very trying to the eyes of the operator. \Vith lower grades of goods the seams have been formed at such distances from the edges as would be convenient to the operator in avoiding the curl, thus requiring no special care in presenting the goods to the needle; but such sewing produced unsightly seams, which were bulky and uncomfortable, besides resulting in considerable waste of the fabrics. More recently these seams have been improved by trimming off the surplus material outside of the line of sewing; but this work requires specially-constructed and costly machines, and, moreover, does not avoid the waste.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby fabrics may be straightened and evened and their edges guided and accurately presented to the stitch-forming mechanism ofsewing-machines without special care on the part of the operator, a single person being able, by the use of my invention, to keep two or more machines in continuous operation by reason of the automatic action of my de- Jvices after a length of fabric has been started into the machine by the operator and the feed has taken hold thereof. This continuous sewing will, moreover, result in seams having the least possible welt or ridge, as the evened goods will always be so securely held and so accurately presented to the sewing mechanisms that the needles thereof will always pass through the fabrics in as close proximity to their edges'as may be desired.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to use two guide-plates,arranged edgewise one above the other, with their guidingedges parallel and a distance apart equal to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to be straightened, evened, and guided. These guide plates, which in practice are several feet in length, are provided with longitudinal ribs on their adjacent edges,these ribs sinking into the fabrics and thus having atendency to prevent the lateral displacement of the latter, while not interfering with their longitudinal movement. To uncurl theedge of the fabric a straightener is employed, said straightener preferably consisting of two metallic plates arranged parallel to each other and at adistance apart equal to the thickness of the fabrics to be smoothed out, these plates having sloping ends inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the line of movement of the goods, with their points extending in the direction from which the goods will be moved. While the straightener may be used independently of the guide plates by being applied directly to the bed plate of the sewing-machine, it is preferably attached to said guide plates so as to co-operate immediately therewith, the pointed sides of the straightener-plates being arranged adjacent to the guide-plates. I The straightened fabric is properly directed to the line in which it is to be guided to the sewing mechanism by ICO a guide or deflector, which is inclined in a dirios, and thus tend to hold them from slipping rection opposite to the direction of inclination of the sloping ends of the straightener-plates, between which the deflector is placed.

\Vhen two pieces of fabric are to be straightened. evened, and guided, a separator-plate or divider is arranged between the straightening-plates, said divider projecting forward of the straightening-plates in the direction from which the goods will move, and in connection with this divider twoinclined deflectors, arranged on opposite sides of the divider,

and both in the same vertical plane, will be' line-with each other, in which position they will be securely held by the guide-plates in their passage to the needle.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to fully understand the same, I have illustrated it in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a section of my guide-plates with the straightener and evener attached thereto in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same with part of the top guide-plate broken away to show the straightener and evener. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking toward the straightener and evener. Fig. at is a detail perspective View showing the parts of the straightener and evener detached. Fig. 5 is a'similar View of the straightener and deflector. Figs. 6 and 7 show modifications adapting thestraightener, with theevener and deflector, to be attached to the work-plate of a sewing-machine. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of my invention in connection with the workplate of a sewing-machine. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing my'guide-plates in operative relation to the work-plate of a sewing-machine. Fig. 10 is a side View of the same. Fig. 11 is a crosssection, somewhat enlarged, of a modified form of my guide-plates, showing also a yielding connection for the same. Fig. 12 is an enlarged side View of the parts of the guideplates to which the straightener, with its 00-- operating guides, is attached.

A and A indicate my guide-plates arranged edgewise parallel to and one above the other a distance apart equal to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to be guided thereby, this distance of separation of the plates being such as to compress the fabric or fabrics slightly,

so as to create sufficient friction to prevent their lateral displacement, but not great enough to hinder the fabrics from being moved longitudinally within the plates with comparative ease.

. To decrease the liability of lateral displacement of the fabrics to be guided, the adjacent edges of the guide-plates are preferably provided with inwardly-projecting longitudinal ribs a, which will sink slightly into the fablaterally without impeding their longitudinal movement. One rib on each plate, as shown in Fig. 3, will be sufficient for most kinds of work, while for some uses a plurality of these ribs on each plate (see Fig. 11) will be preferable. V pensed with altogether. These guide-plates will, in practice, be several feet in length, and for convenience in handling and transporting may consist of sections adapted to be connected together or to be used connectedly by placing the ends of the sections adjacent to each other, so as to form continuous'guiding-ways of properlength. The forward ends of the guide-plates will preferably be arranged relative to the work-plate B of a sewing-machine, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10-that is to say, the forward end of the lower guideguide-plate, A, will project over the workpla-te with its forward end adjacent to the needlehole. The work-plate will thus supply the' place of the cut-away end of the lower guide plate, as the upper guide-plate will be raised above the work-plate just far enough to leave a passage for the fabrics.

The guide-plates are connected together by supports, consisting of brackets or arches (l, spanning the open space between the said plates, and having flanges or flattened bases 0, through which pass set-screws c, the holes for one set of screws being preferably slotted, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit one plate to be adjusted relative to the other for usein connection with fabrics of different thicknesses. The arches O are preferably provided with shanks c,by which they may be att-ached.to a suitable supporting rail or table, which in practice will be provided for the guide-plates.

Instead of making the connecting-arches O For thin goods the ribs may be disrigid, as shown in Fig. 3, they may bejointed and springs d introduced to afford a yielding connection of the guide-plates. (See Fig. 11.)

The bracket or arch D, by which the upper guide-plate is attached to the work-plate ofthe machine, is provided with slotted holes both on its vertical and horizontal flanged or flattened portions d and d to permit said guideplate to be adjusted both vertically and horizontally to accommodate varying thicknesses of material, and also for varying the distance of the stitching from the edge of the fabric. Instead of using two of the guide-plates supported edgewise parallel to each other, as above described, it will be obvious that for some classes of work a single guide-plate supported slightly above a plain table or work=plate, so

as to form a guiding-passage for the fabric,

10, illustrates how a single guide-plate can be.

used in connection with a plain or smooth plate, which will serve as a substitute for the I V o lower guide-plate, affordinga guiding-surface I may pass, and thus one piece of fabric may adapted to co-operate with the upper guideplate.

To straighten or uncurl the edges of knit or other fabrics preparatory to presenting the same to the sewing-needle, I have devised a straightener which consists, preferably, of two thin plates, E, arranged parallel to each other a distance apart about equal to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to bestraightened. The ends 0 of the straightening-plates, which project in the direction from which the fabrics are to be moved, are formed sloping or inclined, the points of these ends being arranged toward the body of the goods and approximately in the line into which the straightened edges of the fabric are to be brought, said plates increasing in width rearwardly or in the direction of the movement of the passing fabrics. The inclined ends e of the plates E are preferably beveled or rounded off on their outer faces to facilitate their operation. From this construction and arrangement of these straightening-plates it results that the pointed ends thereof will receive the curled fabrics between them, and asthe fabrics are moved along the plates their inclined edges incidental to theincreasing width of the plates will effectively smooth out the curled or wrinkled edges of the fabrics. The edges of the fabrics when thus straightened out are necessarily at some little distance laterally from the line in which they are to be moved to be presented to the needle, and, to bring the uncnrled edgesto this line, an inclined guide or deflector, F, is employed. This deflector is arranged between the plates E and its inclination is the opposite of that of the inclined edges of the said plates. The deflector F is preferably secured in position by a pivot-pin, f, so that its angle of inclination and the position of its forward end may be adjusted, as may be required, by a regulating-screw, f, against which the deflector is held by the friction of the passing fabrics.

\Vhen two pieces of fabric are to be simultaneously smoothed out and their edges evened or brought into the same vertical plane, a divider or separator plate, G, is preferably employed. This divideris arranged between the straighteningplates, and an inclined guide or deflector, F, extending on both sides of said divider and having two guiding-edges, one on each side of the divider and both in the same vertical plane, is used in connection with the said divider. The divider G and the double deflector F are both fastened together or formed integral with each other and are secured to the straightcningplates by a pivotpin, f, so as to be adjustable by the regulating-screw f in the same manner as the single deflector.

The divider G is an important factor of my straightening and evening device, as by its use each of the two pieces of fabric to be straightened and evened will have smooth metallic surfaces on both of its sides, between which it sition.

readily be automatically shifted relative to the other by its deflector to cause the edges of the two pieces to register accurately. This action would of course be impossible if the two pieces of fabric were in frictional contact, as in such case one could not easily move upon the other. Thus it will be obvious that in using the divider no particular care on the part of the operator will be required in intro ducing the fabrics into the straightener, as the edge of one piece may project some little distance beyond the edge of the other, and the two edges still be brought accurately together by the deflectors after having been smoothed out by the straightening-plates.

My straightening-plates, with their interposed inclined guide or deflector,with or without the divider, may be adapted for attachment directly to the sewing-machine by eonstructing the same in the manner shown by Figs. 6 and 7; but I prefer to use this part of my invention in connection with the guide-plates hereinbefore described, theplates E being provided with flanges H, having holes for the passage of attachingscrews h, the holes in one of the said flanges being preferably slotted to admit of the adjustment of its contiguous guideplate in varying the distance between thetwo guide-plates for fabrics ofdiiferentthicknesses; but when this variation in the fabrics is considerable, interchangeable deflectors of a thickness to correspond to the different fabrics will be employed, the distance apart of the strai ghtcniiigplates being equal to the thickness of the interposed single or double deflectors. The ribs a' on the guideplates are cut away at a, opposite the forward end of the inclined guide or deflector F, (see Fig. 12,) to allow the surplus edges of the passing fabrics to be slightly compressed laterally by the said end of the deflector to bring the fabrics into proper po- The guide-plates are also preferably slightly recessed at a to permit the points of the straightening-plates to project within the said guide-plates, and thus obviate any tendency of the fabric to catch on said points.

The operation of my invention will be read ily understood from the foregoing. If the straightener, with the single or double deflect-- or, is to be used independently of the guide plates, the fabrics to be uncurled and evened will be passed through the same directly to the sewing mechanism of the machine; but when the straightener and its adjuncts are to co-operate with the guide-plates, the preferable mode of operation will be as indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. In such case the guideplates will be sustained at one end by the work-plate of the machine, as indicated, and at their opposite ends by any suitable stand or support.

The straightening and evening device being attached to the guide-plates between the ends thereof divides said guide-plates into two sections, which may be termed preparatory and guiding sections, respectively. The

until they are presented to the needle. the feed has once taken hold of the fabrics,the

fabrics are introduced into the preparatory section by the operator, and are moved along to the straightener, which smooths out the edges, after which the inclined guide or deflector moves them laterally into the line in which they are to be guided to thesewing mechanism. Whenthere are two pieces of fabric and the double deflector or evener is employed, the two edges will be brought into exact line with each other, in which position they will be securely held by the guiding-section of the plates latter will be drawn along by the action of the former and will thus be automatically straightened,evened, and accurately guided to the sewing mechanism without further care on the part a of the operator, whose time and attention may then be devoted to introducing other fabrics into another set of guide-plates, with their attached, straightening, and evening device, for another sewing-machine. Thus, by the use of my invention one operator will be enabled to attend to two power-driven machines, and scams running close to the edges of the fabrics may be formed with the greatest accuracy in the classes of goods which have heretofore been mostdifficult to manipulate.

It will be understood that before the sewing of one section or length of fabric or fabrics has been completed another will have been introduced by the operator and moved along the guide-plates in readiness to be pushed to the feed, so that the machines may be kept in continuous operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In afabric-guiding apparatus, two plates extending bodily lengthwise in the direction in which the fabrics are to be guided and having adjacent guiding portions, one of said plates being placed edgewise to and above the other, with, an open guiding-space between them, combined with means for supporting said plates separated from each other, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fabri'cguiding apparatus, two rigid guide-plates arranged edgewise and adjacent to each other, with an open space between them, combined with arched supports connected with both of said plates and spanning said open space, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fabric-guiding apparatus, two rigid guide-plates arranged adjacent to each other, with an open space between them, one of the said plates being adjustable relative to the other to vary the width of the said open space, combined with supports for holding said plates in place, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a fabricguiding apparatus, two rigid guide-plates arranged with an interval or open space between them and having longitudinal ribs on their adjacent faces, combined with supports for holding said plates in place, substantially as set forth.

When

5. The combination, with two rigid guideplates placed adjacent to each other, with an open space between them and extending bodily lengthwise in the direction in which the fabrics are to be guided, of a bracket secured to one of said plates and adapted for connection with a sewing-machine, substantially as set forth.

6. A fabric straightening or uncurling device, consisting of the combination of two plates arranged adjacent to each other, with an interval between them,and having sloping or inclined ends, the points of which extend in the direction from which the fabric is to be moved in its passage between them, substantially as set forth.

7. A fabric straightening or uncurling device, consisting of the combination of two plates arranged adjacent to each other with an interval between them, said plates having sloping or inclined ends, which are beveled or chamfered off on their outer faces, substantially as set forth.

8. A fabric straightening and guiding device, consisting of the combination of two plates with inclined ends, arranged parallel to each other, or approximately so, and an inclined guide or deflector interposed between said plates, substantially as set forth.

. 9. The combination,with two straighteningplates having inclined ends, of an inclined guide interposed between said plates, said guide being adjustable so that its angle of inclination and the position of its free end may be changed, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with two plates arranged adjacent to each other, of an interposed separating plate or divider and an inclined guide or deflector having a guidingedge on each side of the said divider, and serving to even two pieces of fabric, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination,with two guide plates arranged adjacent to each other, with an open space between them, of two straighteningplates having a space between them registering with the space between the guide-plates, and an inclined guide or deflector interposed between said straightening-plates, substantially as set forth.

1.2. The combination, with two guide-plates arranged adjacent to each other, of two straightening-plates, also arranged adjacent to each other, a separator plate or divider interposed between said straightening-plates, and an inclined guide or deflector having a guiding-edge on each side of said divider, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SATTERLEE ARNOLD. \Vitnesses:

PERCIVAL J. PARRIS, H. Junson MORRIS. 

